"THE CHURCH IS A GARDEN PATTERNED WITH UNLIMITED FLOWERS."-St. Francis de Sales

St. Francis de Sales’ vision of the church was inclusive and welcoming. All people, he believed, had a place in the community of believers, belonging because of their royal dignity emerging from their creation by our loving God. The diversity of humanity, he hoped, would be expressed in the dynamic collection of people baptized to live Jesus, his favorite maxim. Employing the metaphor of a garden, a biblical place of life, covenant, and commitment, St. Francis de Sales acclaims the beauty of one church enriched by the limitless variety of peoples and gifts God has created. With DeSales and now Pope Francis, we Oblates of St. Francis de Sales seek to help build the church that welcomes all people desiring to live Jesus.

Live Jesus! 2018 will be held at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Vienna, VA, on Saturday, March 10, 2018. Oblate Fathers Mark Hushen, OSFS, and Dave Kenehan, OSFS, will serve as keynote speakers. Fr. Hushen is the president and CEO of Ashley Addiction Treatment and has ministered for years helping countless women, men, and children heal and live in recovery. Fr. Kenehan is a retired colonel in the United States Army and has dedicated his priestly ministry to serving as a chaplain to our nation’s military. Indeed, they will both draw on their experience to breathe life into the Salesian spirit.

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